Human Trafficking in Portland

Have you driven down I-5 recently? Have you stopped at one of our beautiful rest stops? Have you seen this in the ladies room stalls? Not quite so beautiful is it? 

Portland Oregon has a reputation of being a beautiful city. And it is. So why is it ranking with one of the highest incident rates per capita  for the sexual victimization of men, women, teens and children in the United States?

Human Trafficking Facts:

1. Every 2 minutes a child is exploited in the sex industry.

2. 12 years old is the average of girls trafficked.

3. 200,000 domestic sex slaves have already been forced into the commercial sex trade in the US.

4. 1.2 million people are trafficked across international borders each year.

5. 27 million victims of sex slavery and slave labor are crying out for freedom right now.

Statistics from: cityservepdx.org

We need to work together to raise awareness of this horrendous crime and fight human trafficking. Help us protect our beautiful friends and their families.

The goal of the Celebrate Myself portrait project is twofold. Raise the awareness of this problem and help women, men and young boys and girls find their self confidence to battle this issue, so they won't fall prey to the people who are abducting them. With self-confidence we are less likely to become victims of this abuse. I can speak first hand from one who was sexually abused as a child and a teen. Self esteem and someone who believed me would have changed the pattern of my life. Now I want to help others change theirs.

10% of every portrait session booked will be donated to anti-trafficking organizations that are fighting to bring our men, women and children out of this horrible life of slavery. Please join me and my colleagues to help fight abuse.